Israel's Health Ministry Conducts National Earthquake Emergency Drill

The Israeli Ministry of Health held a national emergency operations drill today simulating an earthquake scenario, in cooperation with the National Emergency Authority. The exercise tested the readiness of the Health Ministry's command center and its coordination with emergency and rescue agencies. The drill involved activating the national health command center and practicing extreme scenarios including tens of thousands of casualties, damage to infrastructure and transportation routes, and power outages. Ministry of Health Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov emphasized the complexity of earthquake preparedness for the health system, stating, "Our responsibility is to prepare in advance and ensure that even in the most severe extreme scenarios, we can continue saving lives." The drill will continue tomorrow with a discussion involving the Upper Hospitalization Authority.